DR. WALLACE: My father loves to take my sisters and me hiking, especially during the summer months. He always comes up with new locations, trails and challenges for us to explore.

He's big on us bringing water with us at all times and using sunscreen, but he absolutely refuses to let any of us hike unless we are wearing a wide-brimmed hat! I'm not talking about a baseball cap, which I would gladly wear if he would let me!

Instead, he makes all of us wear these big, floppy, wide-brimmed hats, like we are explorers from some old movie like Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. It's beyond embarrassing!

Most of the time, we don't run into anybody that we know, but last weekend, I happened to come across a few of my friends from high school, and they burst out laughing so much at my hat that they were literally doubled over, trying to catch their breath. Needless to say, I was humiliated. My father never seemed to notice, and within a minute, he barked at us to keep moving forward.

Now I'm sure to get an earful from these friends during my first day at school soon. Why do you think my father is so adamant about us wearing these stupid hats? — My Dad is Clueless, via email

MY DAD IS CLUELESS: Actually, I disagree with you. I don't think your father is clueless; those types of hats provide excellent protection against the sun in two different ways.

First of all, due to their wide brim, they deflect more sunlight from your overall head and keep you much cooler than a visor or baseball cap would.

Second, the brim of those wide floppy hats covers your neck in the front and the back of your neck and ears, which are particularly vulnerable to sunburn. It sounds to me like your father has his hiking gear down to a science, and when you're a member of his crew, you have to follow his rules!

My advice to you, when you do get teased about this later at school, is to agree with your friends and laugh at the crazy hats, but immediately go into how many great hikes you went on, how much you enjoyed it and the places you explored this summer.

Go on to say that, even though your father is overbearing on the crazy big hats, it's great to spend time with him and your siblings, getting such a good workout and spending quality time together. Sometimes the best defense is a strong offense! I suggest that you quietly laugh off the hat and focus your discussion from that moment on how great the hikes are and how much you enjoy them with your family.

I KNOW I'M OUT OF CONTROL

DR. WALLACE: I'm sorry to confess to you that even though I'm not yet 19 years old, I have a pretty big problem with alcohol. Please don't lecture me or tell me all about the error of my ways; I already know what I've done wrong.

I'm writing to you because I'm not sure what I should do at this point. I know deep down I need to quit drinking, but despite the best efforts of my willpower, even after I succeed in avoiding drinking for three or four days, I eventually break down and have a drink again. I have noticed that it's harder for me to say no if I'm in the company of a friend who also drinks. When I'm on my own, I have more willpower, but still not enough, as I've had a drink by myself a couple of times within the last few weeks as well.

I don't want to get into a big discussion with my parents or anyone at my school. Believe it or not, I've been able to hide my problem pretty well so far.

I feel like I'm trapped. What can I do to get out of the cycle I'm in? — My Willpower is Not Enough, by email

MY WILLPOWER IS NOT ENOUGH: Thanks for your letter, that was a very important first step for you. Admitting that a problem exists, allowing the realization to set in, and starting the process of thinking logically about how to get out of a difficult situation is one of the hallmarks of someone primed for potential recovery.

My suggestion to you is to immediately contact the local chapter of alcoholics anonymous. I know you've been hiding your situation, so it's quite likely that the anonymity that they provide will be very important to you.

If you can summon the courage to attend a meeting, I trust you will find some extremely caring, helpful and non-judgmental people who will be more than happy to help you in every way they can. You will likely be offered to be connected to a person who can connect as your "sponsor," a person you can contact 24 hours a day if you feel weak or worried about relapsing again.

It may take time for you to sort everything out to achieve a successful resolution, but I trust that you will feel tremendous encouragement within the first half hour of engaging with people who know and understand what you are going through. Please do this right away; I wish you every success in turning your life around.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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